The Gravestone of Reginald Alexander John Warneford, VC, in Brompton Cemetery.
Reginald Alexander John Warneford, VC (15 October 1891 – 17 June 1915) was a Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) officer who received the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Warneford's initial training took place at Hendon, passing then to Upavon where he completed his pilot training on 25 February 1915. During the course of training, the Commander of Naval Air Stations, R M Groves was quoted as saying: "This youngster will either do big things or kill himself." Warneford's flying instructor at the time, Warren Merriam, noted his skills as a pilot but had to make special arrangements to ensure that Warneford's perceived over-confidence did not bar him from attaining a commission. Merriam took an opportunity whilst Commander Groves was visiting Hendon to ask Warneford to demonstrate his flying skills. Groves' favourable impression overcame the views of the Squadron Commander at the time who believed that Warneford would never make an officer because of his lack of discipline. Warneford was initially posted to 2 Wing on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent but was quickly (7 May 1915) posted to an operational unit with 1 Wing at Veurne on the Belgian coast. Over the next few weeks, Warneford was involved in attacks on German troops and guns, as well as actions against enemy aircraft. His aggressiveness and effectiveness led to his being given his own aircraft and a roving commission. On 17 May 1915, Warneford encountered Zeppelin airship LZ 39 setting out on a raid over the UK. He attacked LZ39 with machine gun fire but the airship was able to ascend out of range by jettisoning ballast. A drawing of the downing of LZ37 by Rex Warneford On 7 June 1915 at Ghent, Belgium, Warneford, flying a Morane-Saulnier Type L, attacked the German airship LZ 37. He chased the airship from the coast near Ostend and, despite its defensive machine-gun fire. succeeded in dropping his bomb
Size: 3590px × 5421px
Location: Brompton Cemetery, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London,
Photo credit: © John Gaffen 2 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 39, 1915, air, airship, alexander, brompton, cemetery, cross, gravestone, hero, honneur, john, lz, naval, pilot, reginald, royal, service, vc, victoria, warneford, zeppelin, égion
